UPDATE 1-EXCLUSIVE-Libya envoy to U.S. backs interim government

WASHINGTON Feb 26 (Reuters) - Libya's ambassador to the
United States, Ali Aujali, told Reuters on Saturday he
supported a caretaker government being formed by former Libyan
Justice Minister Mustafa Mohamed Abud Ajleil.

"I am supporting the new temporary government which was
formed by ... Mustafa Mohamed Abud Ajleil, the former minister
of justice. This government is the government of the whole of
Libya," said Aujali, who announced earlier this week that he
would no longer represent Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's
government.

"We want to support this government as the caretaker
government until the liberation of all of Libya, which I hope
will happen very soon."

Gaddafi's 41-year grip on power appeared increasingly
tenuous on Saturday in the face of a nationwide revolt that
follows uprisings that toppled authoritarian rulers in Tunisia
and Egypt earlier this year.

The online edition of the Quryna newspaper reported on
Saturday that Abud Ajleil had led the formation of an interim
government based in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.
(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Paul Simao)